Lower ball joint

[knucklePuck]

Hey all,

Working on my 1987 Ford Ranger 2.9L 6 cylinder, 4X4. Noticed my lower ball joint had a lot of play after replacing the wheel bearings. I am having a difficult time trying to get to the old ball joint. I read in my book I have to take apart my drive shaft. I saw a video online where this man pulled his drive shaft right through the middle of the knuckle. If you have any tips or experience with this, I would really appreciate it! Thank you.

In the picture where my finger is pointing, I am wondering if I can pay that piece off? The lip makes it difficult to pry the inner piece off.

 

[adsm08]

That's not a drive shaft. It's an axle shaft.

Anyway, yes, the axle shaft has to be removed to get the knuckle off. The passenger side can be split at the slip yoke, you will probably need to remove a clamp on the boot.

The spindle (the piece you are pointing to in the picture) can't really be pried off, but it can be removed by tapping a chisel under the edges going around the outside. Or there is a tool from OTC that is hard to come by now that threads on to the bearing nut threads and you can then use a slide hammer to pop it off.

 

[knucklePuck]

Thank you! I hit a wall until now, thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I went around the backside of mine with a flattened chisel to push it out of the knuckle. It worked pretty good for me with my D35... but my axle was laying on a workbench so your results may vary with that method.

 

[adsm08]

Here is that puller I was talking about. You need a slide hammer to use it, but it is awesome to have if you do work on these TTB front axles regularly.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RJ0Y50?tag=959media-20

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Here is that puller I was talking about. You need a slide hammer to use it, but it is awesome to have if you do work on these TTB front axles regularly.

Must be a tiny little thing?

 

[adsm08]

It's about the size of a soda can. It does the 28, 35, 44, and I think the TTB 50 found in some of the big trucks. It has a couple sets of threads in there.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It's about the size of a soda can. It does the 28, 35, 44, and I think the TTB 60 found in some of the big trucks. It has a couple sets of threads in there.

Still don't see it.

You are probably alluding to the D50, they didn't make a TTB D60.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, the link didn't paste, and I can't type today.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Here is that puller I was talking about. You need a slide hammer to use it, but it is awesome to have if you do work on these TTB front axles regularly.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RJ0Y50?tag=959media-20

That is a good find, I fought and fought with mine a month ago. The second one I just started in from the back from the start and it came out fairly easily. Dunno if you have enough room on a D28 to do it how I did.

This would be really good to add to the tech library at any rate. I was really reaching for ideas and didn't know such a thing existed.

 

[exbass94]

I have this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3IQBHI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Much cheaper and works just as well